This invention relates generally to displays, and, more particularly, to driving emissive displays.
Emissive displays include light emitting diodes, liquid crystal displays, and organic light emitting displays. These displays generally emit light at the pixel level that can be perceived by viewers. To drive an OLED display, electrical current is typically passed through selected pixels by applying a voltage to the corresponding rows and columns from drivers attached to each row and column. An external controller circuit typically provides the necessary input power, video data signal, and multiplex switches. Data signal is generally supplied to the column lines and synchronized to the scanning of the row lines. When a particular row is selected, the column and row data lines determine which pixels are lit. A video output is thus displayed on the panel by scanning through all the rows successively in a frame time, typically {fraction (1/60)} second.
The pixels of an OLED display may be driven by drivers that are typically mounted at the edge of the display panel. In such an edge connection arrangement, it is not uncommon to find a plurality of drivers that may be located on the periphery of the display area. The edge connection arrangement, while effective, may contribute to increased line resistance and capacitance, which may adversely affect the performance of the display, such as reduced brightness. Additionally, the edge connection arrangement may sometimes call for a higher than desired voltage level to drive the pixels. In some cases, the edge connections may require significant area around the periphery of the display, thereby possibly limiting the area available for the display itself.
Thus, there is a need for an efficient way of driving emissive displays.